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A tale of two districts

Helen Mansfield, Special to The Bulletin
Published 9:47 p.m. CT June 8, 2018

Yellville-Summit back in black, Flippin budget solid after building completion

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Flippin Superintendent Kelvin Hudson recently completed his third year as superintendent at his alma mater and and the district finished the year financially sound.(Photo: Helen Mansfield/Special to The Baxter Bulletin)Buy Photo

Flippin and Yellville are separated by approximately 11 miles, but there are many similarities among the cities’ two school districts. Both school districts are seeing an increase in student numbers, after periods of stagnation that have created financial challenges for each.

Both Flippin Superintendent Kelvin Hudson and Yellville-Summit Superintendent Wes Henderson have been in their positions for three years now, and are looking ahead to the growth in their respective communities and districts.

The budgets

When Henderson took the top position at Yellville-Summit, he said the district might not have officially been on a State list as being in fiscal distress, but he said the district was very close.

At the end of the 2014-15 school year, $30,000 remained in the budget, and with good financial decisions since, he said the district has been growing.

“This year was all about adding programs back to the public school,” Henderson said.

Programs such as drama and choir had previously been eliminated. The district’s band director was not only handling band, but choir and some gifted and talented programs.

“I have to be very cautious about how we spend every dime, but this year I won’t worry about the budget the way I have in the past,” Henderson said.

Flippin Superintendent Hudson said he’s been working with the same school operation budget for the last three years. The 2017-18 school year was the first for the district’s new elementary school.

“Former superintendent (Dale) Query left the district in good financial shape so we could build,” Hudson said.

Sound finanical planning and support for a building millage have allowed Flippin Public Schools to make sweep changes for its elementary students.(Photo: Helen Mansfield/Special to The Bulletin)

With a year of the new operation costs under his belt, Hudson has a better idea of what it will cost to maintain the new school, so the district can start working on incrementally increase teachers’ salaries to keep Flippin competitive when recruiting teachers and staff.

“The new building has been a long time coming; our teachers are working better together, it’s a safer facility for the kids,” he said. “We’re grateful to the community for supporting it.”

Hudson said the one thing missing at the new school was playground equipment, but he said that has now been installed and hopes to add a few new pieces before school starts.

He adds that work will begin soon to take the old brick elementary buildings down and add some sidewalks.

Student population

Henderson said the district started the 2017-18 school year started with 690 students and ended with 747. At the end of the third quarter, they had 741 students, which is the number they will receive funding from the State.

“Steady growth is how we make improvement,” he said.

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Yellville-Summit Superintendent has helped guide the district through fiscal distress and is now overseeing the resumption of programs such as drama and choir for students.(Photo: Kevin Pieper/The Baxter Bulletin)

At this rate of growth, Henderson said the current school buildings can accommodate without having to build.

“We’re seeing some growth in Marion County now that there are two boat factories in operation and hiring now, which will allow us to meet the current needs and grow a bit,” he added.

The Flippin school district ended the 2016-17 school year with 806 students, and has averaged between 842-846 in 2017-18.

“We hope to maintain those numbers,” Hudson said, but said there will be some future growing pains.

This year’s graduation class consisted of 35 students, while 70 students were enrolled in Kindergarten.

“We will have to hire additional teachers as they work their way through the grades,” he added.

Staffing

Yellville-Summit had four teachers that retired at the end of 2017-18 school year. They include former high school resource teacher Letitia Stain, physical education teacher and coach Billy Fogerty, fifth-grade teacher Renee Thieme and computer lab and cheerleading sponsor Daksha Thomas. Danielle Lee was hired to fill Stain’s position, and Katrina Morris to fill Thomas’ spot.

Flippin High School Principal Cassie Jefferson Gilley retired after 33 years in the district, having served as principal for seven years. Dale Horn will pick up her mantel for the 2018-19 school year. He most recently served as secondary principal at Mobile Christian School in Mobile, Ala.

Sixth-grade literacy teacher Alexis Thompson resigned, middle school physical education teacher and volleyball coach Olivia Hughes and high school social studies and track coach Josh Lynch has resigned as student council sponsor.

At their last regular meeting, the Flippin School Board hired three new elementary school teachers, Amanda Dixon, Jessamyn DePriest and Heather Eubanks for the fall.

Safety

Henderson said Yellville-Summit has able to bring back safety resource officer Jamie Rhodes, who had been hired by the Marion County Sheriff’s Department.

“He gets along well with the students and the teachers, making everyone feeling at ease,” Henderson said.

As extra measures, Henderson said they have added more cameras to the schools and students in the RISE Academy alternative education program built a few walls at the junior high help slow the traffic from one end of the elementary school straight through to the high school.

“It’s not an easy campus to close off, we’ll do what we can as we can afford to,” Henderson said.

He adds that there’s not been a big discussion of arming teachers at Yellville-Summit, but adds “I’d never say never.”

In Flippin, the new elementary building has electromagnetic locks with door access control. Hudson said secretaries can lock the building down with the push of a button and “U” bolts on all the classroom doors to prevent anyone from the outside from opening them.

He said Phase One security cameras are coming online this month.

Hudson said renovations at the middle school building knocked the intercoms and security cameras offline, but those will be worked on this summer and back up by fall. Phase Two will add more security cameras to the buildings; it is scheduled to start next summer, but Hudson said it could be earlier if the budget allows.

“Our facilities planner is working to re-route the traffic flow into the high school,” he added. “We want to work it so visitors will be routed into the office, instead of directly into the school hallway.”

Additional plans may include the installation of decorative wrought iron fencing in the courtyard.

Hudson said Flippin has also not discussed having the teachers carry guns in classrooms.

“Our current SRO Lonnie Stone does a phenomenal job with all three buildings and is able to handle them,” he said.

Prior to Hudson becoming superintendent, he said there had been some discussion to deputize staff members, but had not been pursued.

The job

A 1982 Mountain Home High School graduate, Henderson put in most of his years in at the junior high school principal before coming to Yellville-Summit.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed this school (district), watching it grow and improve. There are lots of awesome people want to see the school do well and it is,” Henderson said.

Hudson is a 1984 graduate of Flippin High School. Prior to becoming superintendent, he served as middle school principal for 10 years.

He said he enjoys being back at his alma mater and says it feels like a good fit for him.

“I have lots of interest in the community and the kids and takes a lot of pride being from here, and I want to create a school we all can be proud of,” Hudson said.